Think twice, no think three times before honking your horn in Pattaya. This may be the Eastern Seaboard of Thailand but it is getting more like the wild west every day.
A couple of teachers with a student in the back of a pick-up were leaving Phothisumphunpittayakarn school in North Pattaya when a honking incident occurred between the teacher's pick-up and a saloon car. It is not immediately clear who honked at who and who honked first but for sure the Thai bloke in the saloon car stopped his vehicle wound his window and fired two rounds from a shotgun into the nearside door and window of the teacher's car.
Police were called and arrived on the scene in Soi Potisan to find that the teachers had driven to Bangkok Pattaya Hospital close-by. Outside the hospital they found a Ford Ranger pick-up with a shattered passenger window and shotgun pellet holes in the mirror and door.
In the emergency room they talked with the driver and passengers. The Driver Mr.Saroj Boonmuang a 27 year old marching band teacher had been shot in his head, a student who had been in the rear of the pick-up Ms Amita Klaidang aged 19 a student and the front passenger Ms Pantira Chanasupprapa aged 28 been cut from the flying glass.
Meanwhile at the scene of the shooting he police canvased local residents some of whom heard some load noises but no one actually saw anything go down. They are also examining CCTV pictures from cameras in the area in the hope that they can track down the more than irate idiot of the saloon car who thinks that anyone who honks at him must be executed.
